In an echo of preseason the Buffalo Bills once again need to go about replacing EJ Manuel in their lineup.

How they do it this time however could be much different.

Manuel – the Bills’ franchise quarterback – will miss at least “a few weeks” according to coach Doug Marrone after suffering a sprained lateral collateral ligament in his right knee during the 37-24 loss to the Cleveland Browns on Thursday night.

The injury will not require surgery according to Marrone and the team expects him back sometime this season.

In the meantime the Bills have undergone a clear shift in their organizational assessment of the quarterback position.

“We will be looking to bring in another quarterback” Marrone said Friday. “We’re in the process of that right now you know going through the names going through the tape.”

Marrone indicated he planned to join Bills General Manager Doug Whaley in that search as soon as his news conference was finished Friday afternoon.

When Manuel injured his left knee in the preseason and his status for the season opener was in question Marrone announced well in advance that the team was preparing to start undrafted rookie free agent Jeff Tuel against New England.

The coach made no such declarations Friday about Tuel heading into the Bills’ Week Six game against Cincinnati.

“You know Jeff’s working extremely hard doing everything he possibly can do and he’s getting better and better each week” Marrone said. “We like him we really do. But we just want to make sure that we’re doing our due process. Is there someone else out there that’s available to help us? Is there someone out there who’s better?

“That’s what we do with all the pieces of the puzzle because that’s our responsibility. Not only for the people that are right here but for the fans and the organization. So we’re just going through that process.”

Tuel’s performance in relief of Manuel on Thursday night seems to have had a dramatic effect on the Bills’ thinking. He went 8 of 20 for just 80 yards in more than a quarter of work and threw the game-deciding pick-six to Browns safety T.J. Ward late in the fourth quarter with the Bills down by six points.

“There’s obviously some plays I want back and some things I want to do better” said Tuel who planned to meet with offensive coordinator Nathaniel Hackett to go over the game film. “Any little thing I can do to get better I’m going to do it.”